Jagruti Panwala, AAHOA's first chairwoman, earns the 2026 Peggy Berg Castell Award By Cathleen Draper At The Lodging Conference in October, Past AAHOA Chairwoman Jagruti Panwala (2019-20) was honored as the 2026 recipient of the AHLA Foundation’s Peggy Berg Castell Award. The award recognizes female leaders who are changemakers, who champion gender equity, and who help … [Read more...] about A Path Paved for Others
AAHOA Spotlight
Honoring Mehul Patel
Alabama hotel owner remembered for his kindness and connection By Cathleen Draper As Mehul (Mike) Patel was driving to meet friends in downtown Mobile, AL, on Saturday, October 10, he came across a driver trapped in an overturned car that had lost control and struck a guardrail. Mehul stopped his own vehicle on the highway and attempted to help the other … [Read more...] about Honoring Mehul Patel
A Roadmap to the Future
AAHOA’s new strategic plan sets the course for the next five years By Cathleen Draper In August, the AAHOA Board of Directors voted to approve a new Strategic Plan, a five-year roadmap that focuses on strengthening AAHOA’s advocacy efforts, expanding education for hotel owners, operators, and their staff, and delivering greater value to the members the association serves. … [Read more...] about A Roadmap to the Future
Fighting for Main Street
Rep. Mark Alford is on the side of small business By Cathleen Draper Before Rep. Mark Alford (R-MO) was elected to Congress, he spent nearly three decades connecting with thousands of Missourians and their families through his role as a news anchor. His reporting provided a front-row seat to the issues that matter most to everyday Missourians, as well as the struggles … [Read more...] about Fighting for Main Street
From Goalkeeper to the World Cup
A lifelong dream comes full circle By Jodi Scott For many soccer fans, attending a FIFA World Cup match is a dream. For AAHOA Lifetime Member Raman (RP) Rama, serving as a volunteer at the FIFA World Cup in Miami represented something even more meaningful – the fulfillment of a lifelong passion that began decades ago on the soccer fields of India. Long before he … [Read more...] about From Goalkeeper to the World Cup